Wrench



April 1943- F. P. RICHARDSON 2,316,455

WRENCH Filed Aug. 23, 1941 a\\\\\\ I H J freae/zf /iziardswa INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE WRENCH Frederick P. Richardson, Klickitat, Wash.

Application August 23, 1941, Serial No. 408,094

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a wrench and has for an object to provide a wrench having a releasable locking pin engaging the worm to positively hold the jaws in a desired adjusted position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which the releasable locking device is disposed on one edge of the wrench head so as not to interfere with application of the sides of the wrench head and jaws to the work upon which nuts are to be tightened or loosened.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modification may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench constructed in accordance with the invention showing the locking means in locked position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the wrench with portion broken away to show the locking means.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the wrench shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the wrench showing the locking means in released position.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the end of the worm showing the sockets which interchangeably receive the locking pin.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the wrench includes a handle HI having an integral head H provided with a fixed jaw l2. The fixed jaw cooperates with a movable jaw l 3 having an integral rack M which is slidably mounted in a slot 15 formed in the wrench head I l. The head is also provided with a rectangular opening It to receive a worm I"! which engages the rack l4 and may be turned by the operators fingers to move the movable jaw [3 toward or away from the fixed jaw I2. These parts are conventional.

Wrenches of the above described type are prone to become dislodged from an adjusted position due to the operators fingers accidentally touching the worm and in some instances due to the worm contacting with the work upon which a nut is to be tightened or loosened, and from other causes. With this in mind the present invention provides a releasable locking mean to prevent the wrench from getting out of adjustment.

The releasable locking means comprises a pin l8 which is slidably mounted in an opening is formed in the edge of the head I I of the wrench. The pin is interchangeably received in a series of openings 20 formed in the adjacent end of the worm, see Figure 5. to hold the worm against accidental rotation.

The pin is carried by a leaf spring 2| which is disposed longitudinally of said edge of the wrench head and is secured at one end to the edge of the handle by a screw bolt 22 or other connector. Th spring normally retains the pin 18 in engagement with the worm.

For releasing the pin a knob 23 is provided with a reduced neck 24 which is slidably fitted in a slot 9 formed longitudinally in the leaf spring 2|, see Figure 4. The knob contacts with an inclined cam surface 25 formed on the edge of the wrench head. The inner end of the knob is rounded to provid minimum friction between the knob and the cam surface. The low end of the inclined cam surface merges into a recess 25 which receives the knob when the pin I8 is in operative worm engaging position. The outer end 21 of the knob may be formed with annularly disposed faces to receive the operator's fingers or thumb for manipulating the knob.

When the knob is shifted forwardly on the leaf spring it rides up on the inclined cam surface 25, to the high end thereof, and lifts the free end of the leaf spring 2| to retract the pin [8 from the opening 20 of the worm, see Figure 4. In this released position of the pin the worm may be rotated to adjust the jaws. After the adjustment has been made the knob is slid rearwardly on the leaf spring and rides down the inclined cam surface to rest finally in the recess 26 and permit the leaf spring to return to normal position and insert the pin [8 in a difierent opening 21! in the worm to preserve the adjustment.

Since the operation of the parts has been de scribed as the description of the parts progressed it is thought the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable wrench, comprising a stationary jaw provided with a handle, a movable jaw mounted in the stationary jaw, a manually operated worm in the stationary jaw for moving the movable jaw and having a plurality of openings in one end, a curved groove in the stationary jaw adjacent the worm, a leaf spring secured at one end to the stationary jaw and extending over the curved groove, a pin carried by the opposite end of the leaf spring and adapted to enter the openings in the worm, said leaf spring provided with a slot, a member sliding in the slot of the leaf spring and having its lower end engaging the curved bottom of the groove and the upper end abov the leaf spring forming an operating knob.

2. An adjustable wrench, comprising a stati0nary jaw provided with a handle, a movable jaw mounted in the stationary jaw, a manually operated worm in the stationary jaw for moving the movable jaw and having a plurality of openings in one end. a curved groove in one edge of the stationary jaw adjacent the worm, a leaf spring secured at one end to the stationary jaw beyond the groove and extending outwardly over the same, a pin carried by the opposite end of the leaf spring and adapted to enter the openings in the worm, said leaf pring provided with an elongated slot intermediate the pin and its connection with the handle, and a member having a reduced central Portion sliding inthe slot of the leaf spring and having a rounded lower end engaging the curved bottom of the groove and the upper end above the leaf spring forming an operating knob.

FREDERICK P. RICHARDSON. 

